In our body, each organ is unique, important and priceless. It is difficult, for example, to say which of the sections of the intestine is the most important. But one thing is certain: the rectum helps the body quickly get rid of toxins, waste products, without allowing poisoning the body.
And everything would be fine, but it is this section of the intestine that is very often affected by various tumors. Among them are benign and malignant. Today we will talk about how a tumor appears and develops in the rectum, and also touch on the issue of therapeutic and surgical treatment.
Prerequisites for occurrence
Tumors of the rectum occupy a fairly large percentage of all types of neoplasms in surgical practice. Not uncommon among them and cancerous formations. This is a fairly common pathology that leads to excruciating pain and death of a person, if its development is not stopped in time. Not to mention the increase in the frequencysimilar pathologies. Apparently, this is due to the nutrition of a modern urban person. Remarkably, the increase in incidence is most pronounced in the countries of the first world. One way or another, but a tumor of the rectum is a fairly common diagnosis that oncologists and surgeons of all countries have to work on.
Benign neoplasms
This is a wake up call to pay attention to. In the absence of a therapeutic effect, cells can be reborn. Then the process of metastasis begins, and malignant tumors slowly kill a person. Therefore, any tumor in the rectum should be examined. To do this, take a sample and conduct a histological examination.
A benign tumor can be of different origin, but this practically does not affect the nature of its development. It can form on the basis of any tissue, except for the lymphatic, perhaps. There are quite a few varieties. Let's look at the most popular types. They can be felt on palpation. But some of them can only be found during the operation.
Fibroma
Benign tumors of the rectum can be different. Fibroma is one of the most common. Among the factors provoking its appearance, one can single out heredity, inflammatory processes and injuries. This is an incomplete list, doctors are still studying the prerequisites for changing living tissue.
Symptoms of a tumor of the rectum - the impossibility of tight closure of the anus, inflammatoryprocesses. If a person is concerned about pain or even a slight discharge of blood from the anus, he should immediately undergo an examination. Removal of a tumor of the rectum often takes place under local anesthesia. Hospitalization is not required for this.
Fibroma must be treated for sure. If this is not done, the tumor will increase in size. It can become malignant. Therefore, the sooner therapy is started, the more likely it is to get by with a minor surgical intervention.
Myoma
A rather rare tumor of the rectum. The photos that are presented on specialized forums make it possible to judge that it looks like a dense polyp. The inflammatory process and hormonal imbalance can provoke the growth of fibroids in the intestine. It is believed that exposure to ultraviolet rays may be among the provoking factors.
Symptoms of a rectal tumor can vary. But most often mucus appears in the feces. The patient may complain of feeling that he is constantly tormented by the urge to void. In some cases, constipation may occur. Fibroids can grow quite quickly and cause pain due to pressure on the intestinal wall. The treatment is removal.
Lipomas and angiomas
These are two more types of tumors that are quite rare and do not tend to become cancerous.
- Lipomas are solitary or lobular tumors. As a rule, they do not bother a person. The presence of such a neoplasm is known only when it, having increased, falls outfrom the anus.
- Angiomas. May bleed, ulcerate, and fester.
The treatment is the same. Operations to remove a tumor of the rectum vary in degree of complexity. It depends on many parameters, so only a doctor will be able to tell how long the operation and recovery will take. These two types of tumors are usually removed quite easily. They are not prone to rebirth, which means that the operation will be productive. After removal, it only takes some time to follow a sparing diet so that the body has the opportunity to recover.
Polyps
Meet quite often, unlike the species discussed above. Treatment of a tumor of the rectum begins from the moment of contacting a doctor and conducting a diagnosis. Therefore, in many respects it will depend on the person himself and his attentive attitude to his body whether it will be effective.
Polyps can vary greatly in shape and size. Often the basis of the disease is a chronic ailment, for the treatment of which a person has not allocated the proper amount of time. That is, if you are concerned about abdominal pain, you should immediately consult a doctor and look for the cause of what is happening. Painkillers only dampen sensations, and pathological processes continue inside.
The biggest difficulty lies in the fact that in the early stages of the disease, symptoms are practically not manifested. This is the main reason that patients come to the appointment with a running form. By this time, a person may complain of pain inintestines, mucus and blood in the stool, and intestinal obstruction. Of course, the spectrum is quite large, but an experienced specialist should check all the guesses.
Polyps have a tendency to degenerate into a malignant tumor. So the sooner you start treatment, the better. Very much treatment depends on the size of the polyp. Single can be removed through the anus. If the entire rectum is affected, it will have to be removed completely.
Transitional stage
A villous tumor of the rectum is no longer a separate polyp, but multiple formations on the mucosa. Sometimes a whole department or the entire cavity of the intestine resembles a mushroom kingdom from the inside. Each of the formations has an elongated shape and a velvety surface. Sometimes several of them form a separate node. A sign may be blood that is secreted from the anus. The difficulty lies in the fact that you need to remove a large section of the intestine.
Villous tumor very quickly degenerates into a malignant one. Therefore, if it is detected, surgical intervention and additional treatment in the form of radiation or chemotherapy are required.
Causes of cancer
To date, the exact reasons are unknown. There are a number of prerequisites that can play in favor of tumor development. Colon cancer, like any other, is difficult for patients to tolerate. Very often the disease proceeds with severe pain. A person cannot eat normally, loses strength. There is a strong intoxication of the body.
But back to the premise. Great importance is given to human nutrition. At the same time, the Western style of eating,which involves the use of a large amount of high-calorie fats, leads to a slowdown in the progress of the food coma. It should be borne in mind that substances that cause a tumor may be present in food and have a long-term effect on the intestinal wall in one place. If you eat cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits, greens, then emptying will take place without delay. Therefore, the risk of developing the disease is slightly reduced.
Precancerous conditions
Chronic bowel disease, malnutrition - all this is the first step towards oncological processes in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the slightest discomfort should be the reason for contacting a gastroenterologist, who will prescribe the necessary treatment. Maintaining the he alth of the digestive system is the best prevention of cancer.
Polyps are considered precancerous conditions. Moreover, if single they are not very dangerous, then diffuse polyposis in almost 100% of cases leads to cancer. Chronic diseases of the stomach, liver and intestines are also conducive to this, especially in the absence of proper treatment.
Manifestations of cancer
Very often the same picture is observed. A person experiences discomfort for a long time, but does not go to the doctor, attributing all the unpleasant symptoms to hemorrhoids. And this is the most dangerous mistake. The fact is that cancerous tumors of the rectum grow slowly. Symptoms become pronounced only when the tumor reaches a large size.
One of the first symptoms may be the discharge of mucus, blood and pus from the rectum. But at the same time thisspeaks of rather late processes that occur in the tumor itself. Weakness, lack of appetite and strength should alert. In blood tests, a drop in hemoglobin and an increase in ESR are usually observed. But sometimes patients do not go to the hospital even if there is bloody discharge from the anus. Going to the doctor is postponed over and over again because of banal shame. But only a specialist can rule out cancer and prescribe the right treatment.
Common manifestations of rectal cancer can be irregular stools, alternating diarrhea and constipation. Patients complain of painful defecation. Pain in the rectum will differ depending on where the tumor is located. They are most intense if the anal canal is affected.
Diagnosis
For an experienced doctor, it is not very difficult. He can examine the intestine without the use of equipment, but this procedure allows you to assess its condition at a limited depth. Its entire surface is studied through a proctoscope. Additional information is provided by the results of the analyzes. Ultrasound examination allows you to assess the degree of germination of the tumor in the intestinal wall. It is very important for the diagnostician to exclude the possibility of metastases in the liver and lymph nodes. For this, modern techniques are used.
Treatment
The main method is operation. The tumor of the rectum can be large. If it blocks the exit of feces, then excruciating pain cannot be avoided. The consequences may bethe most different. This is a rupture of the intestine with subsequent peritonitis, and the exit of feces through the esophagus. Therefore, the tumor will have to be removed. There are several ways to do this, among which doctors choose the most humane:
- Removing part of the intestine and stitching the ends. If this is not possible, she is brought outside, to the anterior abdominal wall.
- During the Hartmann operation, the tumor is removed, the upper part of the intestine is brought to the anterior abdominal wall, and the lower part is sutured.
- Extirpation. That is, the rectum is removed completely. In this case, the patient is provided with disposable colostomy bags. With their proper use, a person can lead a normal life, go to visit and visit public places. You need to have wet wipes and a clean replacement bag with you. Of course, such an operation is a tragedy for a person, but you can still get used to it.
After surgery
After removing the tumor of the rectum, the patient will have to undergo a long course of treatment. Radiation therapy is used in some cases even before surgery. This allows you to reduce the tumor in size. But according to indications, the procedure can be applied after surgery. In this case, the risk of the formation of a new tumor is reduced. There is strong evidence that surgery without radiotherapy does not give such good results. A malignant tumor of the rectum is dangerous with metastases, so it is very important to complete the full course.
Chemotherapy is also used to treat metastases. She is finesuitable for the prevention of their occurrence. The choice of drugs today is quite large. In each case, the doctor will select a unique treatment regimen. The use of chemotherapy can prolong the life of the patient and improve its quality.
Prevention
Of course, it includes leading a he althy lifestyle. It is necessary not only to stop smoking and drinking alcohol, but also to correct the diet. You need to eat foods that help slow down the growth of the tumor, destroy cancer cells. An example is onion and garlic.
Conversely, drinking alcohol when you are deficient in folic acid increases your risk of cancer. Therefore, we remove beer and wine from the table, and add fresh herbs to each meal. It is very useful to eat beans and other legumes. They contain soluble fiber, carbohydrates, and starch that are not broken down by digestive enzymes. Foods high in fiber help to reduce the time it takes for the contents to pass through the intestines, which reduces the risk of contact with toxins, and therefore the likelihood of developing cancer. Being engaged in prevention, you need to regularly undergo examination by a gastroenterologist, take the necessary tests.
Instead of a conclusion
"Tumor of the rectum" is a general diagnosis that can hide a benign or malignant tumor. But this does not reveal the full picture. Today we looked at what tumors are, what leads to their appearance, ways to deal withdisease and preventive measures. I would like to note that the he alth of the patient is still in his hands. Proper lifestyle, he althy eating and lack of stress is, of course, not a panacea. But this behavior greatly increases your chances of staying he althy and living long. And of course, you need to visit a doctor regularly. Even an annual medical check-up may be enough to get you tested and tell your GP what's bothering you.
